Anatoliy Trubin, Benfica’s Ukrainian international goalkeeper, practically beamed when he saw his friend and countryman, Georgiy Sudakov, join the team. At least, that’s how club president Rui Costa saw it. Trubin shared his joy in an interview with the YouTube channel ‘Vzbirna,’ recalling his talk with the president. “The president and I spoke,” Trubin explained. “He said he had never seen me smile so much as when Sudakov arrived.” It seems some moments just light you up.
Rui Costa wasn’t the only one who noticed Trubin’s big smile. His teammates caught on quickly too. When Sudakov walked through the door, Trubin said, “Some players started saying ‘Ukrainian friends, now you’ll be happier!'” Everyone wanted to know about the new midfielder’s skills. Trubin even joked about it, “Everyone asked me what he was like. I was already tired of answering.”
The Eagles’ number one goalkeeper had already hinted at the good news. Before the deal was even official, Trubin posted a message on Instagram. He publicly asked Sudakov to come to Benfica. Trubin admitted he had been following the situation closely. “I saw many news stories,” he said. “I realized there was interest and that negotiations were happening. I spoke with him. Obviously, I wanted the transfer to happen. I’m happy.”
Now that the transfer is complete, Trubin has promised to help Sudakov settle into life in Portugal. “I will help him in every way possible,” Trubin stated. Sudakov has already revealed that Trubin gave him contacts for Portuguese language classes. That’s the kind of support new players dream of.
Together for Ukraine
These days, Trubin and Sudakov are together, not for their club, but for their national team. They face a tough challenge: taking on France in the first qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. Trubin believes victory is possible. He quoted a fellow player, Yarmolenko, saying, “‘Saying is not the same as doing.’ Only the pitch will put everything in its place.”
Trubin also opened up about the hardest parts of being a goalkeeper. He noted the difficulty when your team constantly attacks. “The most difficult part happens when your team is attacking frequently,” he explained. “You only have one or two moments in the entire game when you have to be maximally focused.” It shows that even in quiet moments, a keeper’s mind is always sharp.
